By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “Best of Super Juniors, Night 11”
June 2, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan, at Korakuen Hall
Streamed live on New Japan World
Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton provided English commentary. The building is packed.
* This year’s field has 20 competitors, divided into TWO blocks. Thus, each wrestler has nine tournament matches in a round-robin format. Wins are worth two points, and a (rare) tie is one point for each wrestler. The top TWO point-scorers in each Block will advance to a four-man playoff. Tonight, all 20 wrestlers from both Blocks are in action! The finish line is in sight! Everyone has completed seven tournament matches, with 17 competitors still (at least mathematically) alive for those four playoff spots. Only Kushida (4), Valiente Jr. (4) and Daiki Nagai (0) are eliminated. I’ll point out that on the nights we have 10 matches, we usually wind up with at least two that wrap up quickly!
* As is tradition, there are no guardrails for the BoSJ.
1. Robbie X (8) vs. Daiki Nagai (0) in an A Block tournament match. They immediately traded rollups. Daiki tried a monkey-flip, but Robbie rotated and landed on his feet. Daiki set up for a dive, but Robbie hit a leaping dropkick! In the ring, Robbie hit a basement dropkick to the back for a nearfall at 1:30. He hit a slingshot senton for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Robbie went for a Lethal Injection, but Nagai blocked it, and Daiki hit a Pounce! Daiki dove through the ropes, and he was fired up!
Back in the ring, Daiki hit a top-rope missile dropkick and a hesitation dropkick into the corner for a nearfall. Daiki hit the monkey-flip, and this time Robbie crashed face-first, and Nagai got a nearfall at 5:00. Daiki applied a Boston Crab, but Robbie got to the ropes. Daiki missed a top-rope Dynamite Kid-style flying headbutt. Robbie cranked on the neck and hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 6:30. Robbie immediately hit the Lethal Injection, then the X Express (top-rope Phoenix Splash) for the pin. No, Nagai isn’t winning, but his matches have entertained.
Robbie X (10) defeated Daiki Nagai (0) at 7:13.
2. Kushida (4) vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru (6) in a B Block tournament match. I’ll predict this is a short one. Kushida again opted to wrestle barefoot. Kanemaru immediately tied him in a headlock. Charlton talked about Jun Kasai pulling everyone into his style of matches this tournament (I’ve written that more than once). Kushida slowed Kanemaru with a headlock. Kanemaru slammed Kushida’s knee into the mat at 2:30, and he targeted Kushida’s knee and tied up the legs on the mat. And I’m wrong that this one would be short!
Kanemaru tied him in a Figure Four at 6:00. Walker said Kanemaru has never beaten Kushida in a singles match! Kanemaru picked up Kushida, but Kushida’s legs struck the referee! Kanemaru hit a basement dropkick on Kushida’s knee. He grabbed his whiskey and swung and missed. Kushida accidentally punched the glass bottle and hurt his hand. He hit the punch to the jaw and hit the “Back to the Future” (small package driver) for the pin. Kanemaru is officially eliminated.
Kushida (6) defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru (6) at 8:24.
3. Francesco Akira (8) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi (6) in an A Block tournament match. They chased each other on the floor. We finally got a bell at 00:19 as they got back into the ring. Akira messed with Taguchi’s hair. Zane Jay joined commentary; I don’t think I’ve heard him speak before. More ‘comedy’ as Taguchi messed with Akira’s hair. Akira got a rollup with a handful of tights for the tainted pin. Anytime a Taguchi match is short, I’m happy. Taguchi is officially eliminated.
Francesco Akira (10) defeated Rysuke Taguchi (6) at 2:17/official time of 1:58.
4. Daisuke Sasaki (w/Illusion) (6) vs. Sho (8) in a B Block tournament match. Sho attacked Sasaki as he approached the ring. I don’t think that is Sasaki under that mask. Sure enough, the real Sasaki jumped in the ring and we got a bell at 00:54 to officially begin. He applied a crossface on Sho. Yujiro Takahashi came out of nowhere, pulled the ref from the ring, jumped in the ring, and worked over Daisuke. Sho hit a low blow and got a visual pin at 2:30, but we had no ref.
Illusion and Takahashi fought on the floor. Illusion struck Sho several times with a kendo stick. They got into the ring, but Daisuke got an electric shock stick! Sho grabbed his metal sheet and struck Daisuke over the head. Sho hit the Shock Arrow cross-armed piledriver for the pin. Lame. Sasaki is eliminated.
Sho (10) defeated Daisuke Sasaki (6) at 4:29/official time of 3:35.
5. Valiente Jr. (4) vs. Nick Wayne (8) in an A Block tournament match. Valiente wore almost an entirely black outfit with some white trim. An intense lockup and some quick reversals. Wayne backed him into a corner and hit a loud chop, then a guillotine leg drop for a nearfall at 1:30. He hit a second-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall. They got on the apron and traded chops. Valiente tied Wayne in a leg lock, but Nick reached the ropes at 3:30. Wayne hit an impressive Crucifix Driver! Where did that come from? We got a replay. Wayne hit an Asai Moonsault to the floor at 5:00. A huge pop for him on that one.
Back in the ring, Wayne hit a Dragon Suplex for a nearfall. Valiente got a backslide for a nearfall and a few more rollups. Valiente popped him up and hit a kick at 6:30. Wayne nailed a Canadian Destroyer. Nick nailed the Wayne’s World (corner fadeaway stunner) for the pin. For the time given, that was really sharp. We have a LOT of guys who are going to be at 10 points at the end of this show.
Nick Wayne (10) defeated Valiente Jr. (4) at 7:16.
6. Robbie Eagles (w/Hartley Jackson) (8) vs. Jakob Austin Young (w/Zane Jay) (6) in a B Block tournament match. Jakob has already scored more points than I thought he’d get. Standing switches to open. Eagles hit a huracanrana and a spinning leg lariat at 1:30. Zane tried to interfere, so Hartley scooped him up and carried Jay to the back! Young hit a baseball slide dropkick at 3:00. He whipped Eagles into rows of chairs in front of the bleachers. They got back into the ring with Young cranking on Eagles’ neck.
Robbie fired up and hit a series of Yes Kicks at 5:00 and one that may have caught Young flush across his forehead. Young hit a running knee for a nearfall, and he applied a modified half-crab, but Eagles reached the ropes at 6:30. Young hit the Jakob’s Ladder (Sliced Bread from the corner), then the Brain Rot (twisting suplex) for a nearfall. They got up and traded kicks, then they traded rollups. They hit stereo Mafia Kicks at 9:00. Eagles hit his springboard missile dropkick across the knee and a “Hyperion” (Shining Wizard) for the pin. Young is eliminated.
Robbie Eagles (10) defeated Jakob Austin Young (6) at 9:36.
7. Master Wato (10) vs. Jun Kasai (8) in an A Block tournament match. Jun attacked Wato as he emerged from the back, and they brawled on the floor. Wato dove off a short stage onto Jun. Still no bell. We got a bell at 1:04 even though they have NOT been in the ring yet. Make it make sense, NJPW! Jun threw a chair at Wato’s face. They got into the ring at 2:08 (this is where we should have gotten the bell!). Wato was already bleeding. Jun stomped on him and was in charge. Jun hit a DDT for a nearfall at 4:30.
Jun pulled out a bundle of cooking skewers, but Wato blocked them from being used. Wato took the skewers, but he threw them at the ground rather than using them, and he hit a spin kick to the head. Wato hit a plancha to the floor at 6:00. In the ring, Wato hit a top-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall. Jun countered with a decapitating clothesline, and they were both down at 7:30. This crowd was HOT! Jun got a backslide, then a Jay Driller-style piledriver. Jun grabbed two syringes. Gross! He put the needles in his own head!
Jun hit a running clothesline on Wato for a believable nearfall at 9:00. He put his goggles on and went for a frog splash, but Wato got his knees up to block it, and they were both down. They traded forearm strikes. They hit headbutts, and Jun collapsed! Wato was setting up for his Dragon Suplex, but Jun blocked it, got an inside cradle, and scored a flash pin! Jun stays alive as well!
Jun Kasai (10) defeated Master Wato (10) at 11:17/official time of 10:13.
8. Taiji Ishimori (8) vs. Hyo (6) in a B Block tournament match. With so many wrestlers reaching 10 points today, I think Hyo is likely already eliminated, and Ishimori would be eliminated with a loss. Walker reiterated that Ishimori has been in the BoSJ finals twice but has never won it. Hyo hit a huracanrana at the bell; Ishimori doesn’t even have his jacket off yet! Hyo hit a flip dive to the floor. In the ring, Hyo hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Ishimori slammed him face-first and applied the Bone Lock (crossface) at 2:00, then he hit a side slam. Ishimori nailed the Bloody Cross (knee strike to the sternum) and scored the pin! I did NOT see that ending so quickly!
Taiji Ishimori (10) defeated Hyo (6) at 3:48.
9. Kosei Fujita (8) vs. Titan (10) in an A Block tournament match. Again, Kosei is our defending tournament winner, but he really needs a win here, or he’ll depend on a LOT of tiebreakers to reach the playoffs. Standing switches to open. Walker noted that Titan won the only prior singles match in the tournament two years ago. Titan went for a springboard move, but Kosei caught an arm and applied a Rings of Saturn, and he hooked a leg too, but Titan reached the ropes at 2:30 with the other leg.
Kosei was in charge early on and hit some forearm strikes and chops in the corner. Titan hit a springboard dropkick, then a dive through the ropes right at the 5:00 call. Titan hit another dive through the ropes. In the ring, Titan hit another springboard frog splash for a nearfall. He tied Kosei in a Trailer Hitch leg lock, but Fujita quickly grabbed the ropes at 6:30. Kosei hit a springboard dropkick for a nearfall. They got up and traded LOUD chops. Titan hit a tornado DDT, but Kosei hit a suplex, and they were both down at 9:00.
Titan went for the Muta Lock, but Kosei escaped! Kosei applied his Jungle Boy-style Snare Trap leg lock, but Titan reached the ropes. Kosei hit three consecutive German Suplexes and got a nearfall at 11:00. Titan slammed him to the mat for a nearfall. Titan hit a top-rope double stomp for a nearfall. Kosei hit a “Thrill Ride” (a version of a Burning Hammer) for the pin. That was pretty awesome, although I never doubted who would win that one.
Kosei Fujita (10) defeated Titan (10) at 12:51.
10. El Desperado (10) vs. Yoh (8) in a B Block tournament match. Like the prior match, Yoh — who lost to Fujita in last year’s finals — needs the win to stay in the running for a playoff spot. They cautiously locked up, and Desperado tied up Yoh’s legs, with Yoh grabbing the ropes at 2:00. They brawled to the floor, and Desperado slammed Yoh’s knee onto the thin mat at ringside. Yoh limped, rolled into the ring at the 19-count, and rolled right back to the floor to recover.
Desperado threw Yoh back in and tied up Yoh’s legs. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Yoh hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 9:00 and a double-underhook suplex for a nearfall. Desperado hit a suplex and a basement dropkick on the knee. Yoh hit another Dragonscrew Legwhip, and they were both down at 11:00. Desperado hit a spear and a powerbomb move for a nearfall. Desperado hit a frog splash for a nearfall. Yoh tied up Desperado’s legs.
Yoh applied a Stretch Muffler! That’s Desperado’s move! Desperado finally reached the ropes at 14:00. Yoh hit an Angel’s Wings faceplant. Desperado hit a straight punch to the jaw. Desperado hit the Pinche Loco (Angel’s Wings). He hit a piledriver along his back at 16:00, but he sold the pain in his knee, and they were both down. Desperado hit a Jay Driller. Yoh hooked both arms, got a forward roll, and a flash pin!
Yoh (10) defeated El Desperado (10) at 16:45.
Final Thoughts: I’ve said this before… but there is just something about being back at Korakuen Hall. Everyone steps up their game, and it meant a well-above-average night of in-ring action. Titan vs. Kosei was the show-stealer and earned first, ahead of the Yoh-Desperado main event. While it was shorter, I’ll go with Wayne vs. Valiente Jr. for third-best, ahead of Jun-Wato. Of course, the main problem with Gedo’s 50-50 booking style is it meant that there was absolutely no mystery over the winners of those final two matches — Fujita and Yoh needed those wins to stay alive entering the final night of round-robin action.
The B Block has five guys at 5-3 (10 points) and five at 3-5 (6) points. In the A Block, a whopping SEVEN guys at 5-3 (10 points) and three others eliminated. No rest for the wicked! The final night of the round-robin portion of the tournament is back here in Korakuen Hall on Wednesday!
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